40 Years Ago Today — Game 6: Red Sox v Reds

Ken AshfordHistory, Red Sox & Other SportsLeave a Comment

It’s arguably the best major league baseball game ever played, and it was played 40 years ago today.  The Reds-Red Sox rivalry revived national interest in the national pasttime.  And when you look back at all the hall-of-famers playing — Johnny Bench, Pete Rose (okay, not a hall of famer, but….), Carl Yastremski, Fred Lynn,. Luis Tiante, Carlton Fisk…. Boston’s Carlton … Read More

Well Played USA Today

Ken AshfordHistory, Popular CultureLeave a Comment

Today is “Back To The Future” Day.  In the movie Back To The Future II, Marty McFly gets in the DeLorean time machine and travels from 1985 to October 21, 2015.  At one point, he sees a copy of the “future” USA Today (that’s how he learns the date).  So what does the actual USA Today look like for today? … Read More

Benghazi Committee Gets Laughable

Ken AshfordCongress, Election 2016, Political ScandalsLeave a Comment

The House Benghazi investigation committee was supposed to be Hillary’s downfall, but it’s just turned out to be a huge ugly albatross around the GOP and the neck of the committee’s chair, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC).  Here’s the latest screw-up: Benghazi committee Chair Trey Gowdy (R-SC) is now returning $6,000 in political donations that are indirectly tied to a PAC that … Read More

2016 Election Tidbits

Ken AshfordElection 2016, PollsLeave a Comment

1)  Biden His Time.  I have written much about Joe Biden entering the Democratic race because I think it is a news story ginned up by the media.  Oh, I’m sure he has considered it, but I took him at his word that he was wiped out by his son’s death and that he might not have the emotional energy … Read More

First Human Trials On An HIV Vaccine Start Today

Ken AshfordHealth CareLeave a Comment

Researchers may be one step closer to creating an HIV vaccine. This month, the Institute for Human Virology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore launched the first phase of clinical trials for a new treatment. The immunogen, known as the Full-Length Single Chain (FLSR), could potentially induce protective antibody responses to HIV-1 strains, going where previous … Read More

The Problem With Trump-Bush-9/11 And Clinton-Benghazi-9/11

Ken AshfordHistory, Libya, Political Scandals, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

I know I’m not the first to bring it up, but there is a huge disconnect going on right now when you tie together to seemingly separate stories. Trump is saying that since 9/11 happened during Bush 43’s watch, Bush 43 bears some culpability.  This makes Jeb Bush act all defensive, because (he seems to argue) the President cannot micromanage … Read More

Benghazi Committee Now Deciding What Is Classified (Hint: Only Things That Hurt Clinton)

Ken AshfordPolitical ScandalsLeave a Comment

The letter speaks for itself (but I will highlight for emphasis): Dear Mr. Chairman: On October 7, 2015, you sent me a 13-page letter making a grave new accusation against former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Specifically, you accused her of compromising national security and endangering lives. The problem with your accusation—as with so many others during this investigation—is that you … Read More

Fourteen Years Later

Ken AshfordElection 2016Leave a Comment

It took fourteen years, but a major player in the Republican Party has finally acknowledged that 9/11 happened during George Bush’s presidency and that the former Bush cannot really own the claim that “he kept us safe”.   The most amazing thing is the person saying that is in the lead for becoming the next GOP nominee.  Yeah, Trump went … Read More

Florida Can No Longer Lock Mentally Disabled People And Forget About Them

Ken AshfordConstitution, Courts/Law, Mental HealthLeave a Comment

Fifteen years ago, J.R. — an intellectually disabled man who “functions as a seven-year old.” — was charged with sexual battery, but he was never tried because a court found him incompetent to stand trial. Instead, J.R. was involuntarily committed to a residential mental facility by a court order that contains no end date. End of story.  You see, under … Read More

In A Few Decades*, Americans Will Laugh At This The Way We Laugh At Victorian-Era Magazines

Ken AshfordGodstuff, Sex/Morality/Family ValuesLeave a Comment

You wouldn’t invite a stripper to your family Thanksgiving, would you?  Because they might perform their act just as you start carving the bird. And if that’s true, then why would you let your gay grandson bring his “partner” to Thanksgiving?  You might get gay juju on the stuffing. *I say “a few decades”, I hope “a few years”

Killing Reagan

Ken AshfordHistoryLeave a Comment

I’m shocked — shocked — that the Bill O’Reilly book about Ronald Reagan contains many historical inaccuracies large and small.